A Dip to Remember- Panvel has India’s first ‘Moroccan Hammam’ inspired Spa
Drawing inspiration from Middle Eastern Turkish and Moroccan hammams, the ‘Shilp Wellness’ centre at Mumbai Pune National Highway, designed by GMB Verve will transport you to the lands of oriental bliss.
Middle Eastern baths have fashionable history and a reputation for their colorful ceremonies, India’s first ever dedicated Turkish and Moroccan Hammam experiences, along with a host of wellness and traditional spa treatments, in order to make you feel relaxed and rejuvenated. Centre claims that each treatment is a decadent journey connecting mind, body, and soul through mediums such as water, sand, clay, salt, and much more.
Shilp’ or handmade craft is an homage to all the wellness processes and architectural detail that is synonymous with Shilp Wellness. Through them, they have aimed to combine traditional Turkish and Moroccan architecture with lush green landscapes, to help establish harmony between one’s mind, body, and soul.
According to the founder, Sushir R Mehta, the wellness centre makes a statement with its grandeur and craftsmanship in terms of architectural aspects, the Shilp Wellness centre was born in the spirit of helping individuals reconnect with themselves in the setting of nature and soothing environment.
The larger-than-life sculpture dominates the space, the flooring emphasizing its importance, The hammam table is intricately inlaid marble. The “flower” in the ceiling showers rose water.
Around 12 artists invested three months of hard work to create figurative paintings on walls, extending from floor to ceiling. Arched niches and even ceilings have artwork – no wall has flat paint.
The lamps have been customised in fibre, even the grills for the air conditioners have been designed by jalli architecture to conceal their contemporary appearance. The furniture is embellished with camel bone inlay work done by local artisans.
A variety of lighting illuminates the space. Pendants, wall sconces, cove lights and floor lamps create combinations of light and shadow.
Keeping the Indian culture in mind, privacy has been provided through individual cabins. Unlike traditional hammams which are enclosed spaces, huge windows provide a connection with nature. Dense landscape is enlivened by the chirping of birds and palm trees, native to the Middle Eastern offers a soothing ambience to patrons transporting them to a land of oriental bliss.
Images by Nigel Fernandes – Oculus
